A 34-year-old mother in Trenggalek, Indonesia, has been accused of killing her newborn baby boy because she could not bear the financial burden of raising her fourth child.
The head of Terbis Village, Edi Purwita, said the woman and her family fall under the low-income category and are recipients of government social assistance.
However, he stressed that the family is not considered to be in extreme poverty.
“Economically, they are less well-off and receive social aid through the government system, but their overall condition is comparable to other villagers,” Edi said.
S’s husband owns a coffee shop in Surabaya and only returns to Trenggalek about once a month.
Meanwhile, S stays at home caring for her three other children, two in primary school and one in secondary school.
While the mother undergoes legal proceedings, all three children are living with their grandmother.
Edi said his office is coordinating with various parties to ensure proper support for the children during their mother’s detention.
Baby was abused prior to his death
According to police investigations, S gave birth to the baby alone in a garden about 15 metres from her house on 5 December, 2025.
After birth, the baby was abused and then covered with a sack until he died.
Forensic examination revealed the baby suffered multiple blunt-force injuries to the neck, head, and chest, causing oxygen deprivation.
The head of Trenggalek Police Criminal Investigation Department, AKP Eko Widiantoro, said the baby was the fourth child from S’s legal marriage.
The motive for the killing is believed to be financial stress, as the money sent by her husband was insufficient to support her and the children.
“Evidence obtained shows the baby was abused by his own mother. The main motive relates to economic factors, as the mother did not want the birth of her fourth child,” Eko explained.
S is now detained and investigated under Section 76(c) and Section 80 of the Child Protection Act, which carries a prison sentence of more than 15 years if convicted.
Police have also coordinated with forensic teams and interviewed several witnesses to strengthen the investigation.
Stay tuned for more updates.
